Omung Kumar merges Indian, Thai elements for IIFA stage

Mumbai, June 20 (IANS) National Award-winning filmmaker Omung Kumar, who clocks a decade of designing the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend and Awards stage this year, says he has tried to merge Thai elements of the Siam Niramit theatre in Bangkok with an Indian touch and enhance the experience with technology.

The 2,000-seater Siam Niramit theatre is touted as the world’s highest stage.

Kumar has constructed and designed the whole set for the IIFA Awards taking into consideration the country and city where the show is being staged, in order to encapsulate the local flavour.

“All my set pieces and backdrops have to gel with the traditional set that are already present there and enhance it in such a way that our acts look better on it. Since it is happening on the world’s tallest stage platform, I have a lot of height to play with.

“The backdrop comes from the top and sits on the stage and goes back up after each performance. All the backdrops are intricately designed with a lot of traditional designs of Bangkok comprising gold embellishments,” Kumar said in a statement.

The filmmaker has integrated all pieces and backdrops with the already-established set there.

“Each act has moving props which keep coming in and out within the acts. Huge ships, dragons, houses, pillars among other props make the multiple backdrops for each act. We have two set of front sets for IIFA Rocks and the IIFA main show. When the stage floor opens up, we get huge mountains coming up from beneath the floor.”

Kumar has also played with huge LED lights, which will play a major role for making performances visually more appealing.

“There is a huge LED light behind the stage which changes each scene and acts. We have a water body in front of the stage with lotus flowers and candles in them,” added the set designer, who has also directed films like “Mary Kom” and “Sarbjit”.

The IIFA gala commences on Thursday and will conclude with a grand event on Sunday.